Monday, September 12, 2016

Irish campaigners urged to step up pro-life fight amid funding row

Senator Rónán Mullen has called on Irish people at home
and abroad to support Irish pro-life organisations as pressure builds to
overturn the constitutional protections for the unborn.

The NUI senator’s comments came as it was revealed that
the billionaire financier George Soros’ New York-based Open Society
Foundations is a major contributor to the Abortion Rights Campaign,
Amnesty International Ireland, and the Irish Family Planning Association
– all groups that are working to remove the life equality amendment in
the Constitution.

“Nobody following the abortion debate will be surprised
that international pro-abortion organisers or money funds are putting
support into campaigning for abortion in Ireland,” Senator Mullen told The Irish Catholic,
explaining that it has long been clear that “what happens in Ireland
matters greatly to the international pro-abortion movement”.

Importance

A strategy document from Mr Soros’ organisation, released
through the website DCLeaks.com, highlights the strategic importance of
Ireland to efforts to legalise abortion worldwide, arguing that if
Ireland were to abandon its protections for the unborn, “other strongly
Catholic countries” might be inspired to follow suit.

Ireland is an important target for international
pro-abortion activists, Senator Mullen explained, “because Ireland has
such a successful track record of maternal care without access to
abortion, that we have been the proof that you don’t need abortion as
part of good healthcare”.

Warning that Irish people should be aware when they
encounter abortion being promoted directly or indirectly in Ireland’s
media that such arguments are made “with the support and perhaps even at
the behest of external agents”, he said that “people who are concerned
about the protection of human dignity at all stages of life in Ireland
need totake this very seriously.”

Last year’s marriage referendum, he added, presented
pro-abortion organisations with an obvious “playbook” showing how money
invested early in political campaigns can play a crucial role in shaping
and moulding public attitudes.

According to Cora Sherlock of the Pro-Life Campaign, “One
thing is certain: those pushing abortion in Ireland have vast resources
that they didn’t have just a few years ago. The money is not being
raised from ordinary Irish citizens. That is for sure.”

With six-figure sums being given to Irish organisations by
international bodies such as the Open Society Foundations, Senator
Mullen said: “It’s time for Irish philanthropy at home and Irish
philanthropy abroad to take an interest in helping bona fide pro-life
organisations maintain Ireland’s great pro-life record.”

Ethos

It’s time for Irish people – including Irish people abroad
– who care about Ireland’s pro-life ethos and what it has given to the
world, and who now see that it is being gunned from abroad, to take
steps,” he said.

Ms Sherlock added: “The idea that an outside body would
fund and organise groups in Ireland to dismantle Ireland’s protection
for the unborn child would represent a gross interference and total
contempt for the Irish people.

“It is not a surprise that international pro-abortion
groups are trying to impose their agenda on Ireland,” she said.
“Ireland’s excellent record of safety in pregnancy for women without
recourse to abortion is a major source of embarrassment to abortion
campaigners as it completely undermines their argument that abortion
somehow helps women.”